Google is celebrating the 88th birthday of artist, writer, and illustrator Edward Gorey with a homepage doodle that pays homage to some of his more notable creations.

Google's doodlers drew Gorey sitting on the "G" in the search giant's logo, surrounded by the various characters he created. There's the creature from The Doubtful Guest, the cat who made an appearance in Category: Fifty Drawings, and more.

The doodle is crafted in Gorey's signature style. As the New York Review of Bookssaid last year, "Gorey's work tends to combine whimsically grim storylines with dour yet dancerly protagonists."

Gorey was born in 1925, and by the time he passed away in 2000 at the age of 75, he had crafted more than 100 original works, illustrated the books of numerous well-known authors, and even dabbled in set and costume design.

As the New York Timesnoted in Gorey's obituary, "Gorey was as instantly identifiable as his work. Toweringly tall, he had a white beard and frothy hair, an earring in each lobe and rings on most of his fingers. When he lived in New York, he often wore a raccoon coat, although later in life he became sheepish about wearing fur."

Gorey published his own books, starting in 1953. The Times credited Gorey's relationship with Andreas Brown, owner of Gotham Books Mart, with jumpstarting Gorey's career. The bookstore sold many of Gorey's books and other collectibles, and things really took off for the artist in the 1970s with the arrival of his first anthology.

In the 80s, Gorey crafted the animated credits for the PBS Mystery series, which introduced him to millions of television viewers, according to The Edward Gorey House - his former home in Masschusetts that is now a museum.

Edward Gorey House will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Vinegar Works, a trio of stories, with an exhibit that opens April 18. "All three books would eventually define Gorey's style, and The Gashlycrumb Tinies became his most enduring work," the museum said.

About the Author

Chloe Albanesius has been with PCMag.com since April 2007, most recently as Executive Editor for News and Features. Prior to that, she worked for a year covering financial IT on Wall Street for Incisive Media. From 2002 to 2005, Chloe covered technology policy for The National Journal's Technology Daily in Washington, DC. She has held internships a... See Full Bio

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